Ampoule



Dec. 19, 1939.

J. AJSAFFIR AMPOULE Filed Oct. 27, 1939 Patented Dec. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,184,152 Amount:

Jacob A. Saffir, Chicago, 111. Application October 27, 1939, Serial No. 301,595

15 Claims.

mixture also under controlled conditions. Thus in the field of medicine it is frequently necessary and very often desirable to mix two or more ld chemically pure substances under controlled conditions in order to obtain the desired product. Such substances may require storage in a vacuum or inert gas to prevent deterioration and the admixture and resulting interaction of these sub- 20 stances might p'referablybe carried out under such special conditions, as vacuum or inert gas in order that no undesired reactions occur.

As an example, in the handling of arsenic compounds for injection, great care must be ex- 25 ercised. Thus considerable difiiculty has been experienced in the handling of arsphenamine and 'neoarsphenamine compounds. Stable storage conditions require that these compounds be maintained in a concentrated form in a vacuum. On 30 the other hand, these arsenic compounds cannot be used in their stored form but must be dissolved in predetermined quantities of sterile water or alkaline solution or other solvent just prior to actual injection. These compounds both 35 before and after solutionare highly imstable in air and tend to react with air to form poisonous substances. The solution of these compounds is unstable even in a vacuum.

Inasmuch as time is required for the-thorough 4 intermixture and complete interaction of the compound and the solvent, it is clear that for best results this mixing and interaction shouldbe carried out in a vacuum or under the same conditions as exist in the storage container.

45 Thereafter the syringe may be filled with the prepared material and used with a minimum exposure to the air.

Various expedients have been relied upon in an attempt to devise an ampoule to meet the above 50 requirements. In some instances the act of intermixing the separately sealed materials involves the destruction of the hermetic seal to atmosphere with an imperfect seal substituted to reduce the access of theatmosphere to the interior of the ampoule to a minimum. In other instances the ampoule is soconstructed as, to provide a liquid seal at the region of interaction between the water or othenliquid-solvent and the solute. Still other expedients have been relied upon,-such as wax partitions, in an effort 5 to permit interaction between the normally isolated contents of a multiple chamber ampoule and permit said reaction to take place under controlled conditions.

These various expedients, however, have proven to be impractical for various reasons. Thus, within certain limits, increased expense is a factor. The destruction of the hermetic seal to atmosphere prior to actual use of the final chemicals always involves a departure from desired' 1' ideal conditions and represents a compromise which frequently is reflected in the formoi dangerous physiological complications. The use of non-vitreous materials such as wax and rubber is highly objectionable because of dimculty in removing occluded air therefrom and in avoiding secondary undesired reactions.

By the invention herein described I have solved this problem in a simple effective manner. An ampoule having a plurality of cells or chambers may be constructed out of any suitable material, such as glass, which is not ferro-magnetic. Adjacent cells'or chambers of'the ampoule are separated by a frangible wall or partition which may be of the same material as the ampoule, such as glass. Within each inter-cellular partition, the removal of which is desired for mixing of chemical contents, there is disposed a ferro-magnetic member of any suitable shape. This may preferably take the form of a steel ball sealed in the glass partition. The application of a magnet, on the outside of the ampoule, results in an attractive force upon the ferro-magnetic member to pull the same toward the poles of the magnet. This attractive force on the sealed member may be'utilized to break down the intercellular partition, it being understood that the term-magnetic member has suflicient mass to permit this operation. Too heavy a member may be objectionable because of possible breakwall, two substantially different attractive forces on'the term-magnetic member may be utilized for selective destruction of both walls.

It is also possible to provide a frangible partition free of any ferro-magnetic member and seal said member to any interior part of the ampoule. The member may be broken away from its fastening and permitted to act on the frangible partition either by operation with a magnet or sudden impact.

Instead of a steady magnetic pull on the ferromagnetic member, a pulsating cyclically varying pull may be utilized for vibrating the partition. When made of glass or non-elastic material, the partition may be shattered by a comparatively small force used to vibrate the partition. This variation of magnetic pull may be obtained either by changing the position of the magnet or its polarity.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of one form of ampoule together with an actuating electromagnet. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of a modified form of ampoule and an actuating permanent magnet. Fig. 3 is a modified form of partition.

Referring to Fig. 1, the ampoule comprises an.

outer wall or shell ll) of glass or other suitable non-magnetic material. Partitions II and 12 are formed within shelll and serve to define three cells .or chambers l3, l4 and I5 respectively. It is understood, of course, that as many or as few cells may be provided as desired. understood that partitions II and I2 are frangible and would ordinarily be made of the same material as the outer shell I0. Sealed within partition H is a ferro-magnetic member here shown as a steel ball II. This ball is preferably covered over with glass and forms a portion of partition ll.

Access to each of chambers l3 to Hi inclusive is obtained at sealing tips I 8, l9 and 20. It is understood, of course, that each chamber or cell may be evacuated and filled with a desired substance and the glass melted as shown in the drawing to seal the'cell.

In order to break down partition ll an electro-magnet having an actuating coil 26 is provided. Either a steady magnetic field may be created as shown, for example, by the perma-.

nent magnet in Fig. 2 or a fluctuating field may be created by reversing the polarity of the mag-' net. This may be done either by supplying an alternating current or by manually reversing a direct or alternating current. By a proper design of the partition thickness and mass of ferromagnetic member I'I, as well as by the intensity of the magnetic field, it is possible to pull ferromagnetic member I! away from its normal position and break the partition. In case the partition is made of glass, the changes in intensity of the attractive force on the ferro-magnetic member I! may be used to shatter the partition.

Partition l2 may thereupon be broken by permitting the ferro-magnetic member, in this case the steel ball IT, to be used as a hammer. The ball I! may be raised up by the magnet and then be permitted to quickly drop or, if desired, the ball may be pushed through partition l2 by the magnet. In either case, partition l2 may be broken even tho-ugh it does not have any ferro; magnetic member therein.

It is understood, of course, that when the contents-of the entire ampoule are to be used the ampoule itself must be broken. This may be It is also 7 7 done either by breaking of! any one of the sealing tips or, if a sufliciently powerful atractive force is used on ball l1, to actually break the outer wall in a manner similar to that used with the partitions.

Preferably, partitions H and I2 are substan-v tially weaker'as regards breaking than outer wall In so that the'initial destruction of one or more of the partitions will leave the outer wall I 0 of the ampoule intact. It is understood, of course, that by suitable manipulation and care, this selective destruction of the partition and outer wall may be accomplished without necessarily having the partitions weaker than the ampoule wall.

Referring to Fig. 2, partition Ill carries a steel ball I1 attached thereto, the steel ball being preferably covered over with the partition material such as glass. It will be noted that the partition wall III is rather thick and in order to promote the removal of the partition, scoring 50 of the glass is relied upon. This scoring may be at any portion of the partition and, as shown here, is around the edge thereof near wall Ill.

Lower partition 2 has sealed therein a ferromagnetic member |l3 in the form of a fiat disk. This partition H2 is also scored at 5| 'for weakening. A permanent magnet I25 may be used instead of the electro-magnet for eil'ecting breakage.

It is understood that the cross-section of the ampoule, while generally circular, may be of any desired shape and that the shape and disposition of the ferro-magnetic member may vary within wide limits. In general, the ferro-magnetic member should have sufficient mass'so'that ready breakage of the partition can be effected. The mass of the ferro-magnetic member will depend in some measure upon the thickness of the partition and the intensity of the attractive force created by the magnet. It is also understood that the ferro-magnetic member may be permanently magnetized so that either attraction or repulsion will be utilized.

In practice, the ferro-magnetlc member, usually of steel, retains its glass coating intact under ordinary conditions of use. Thus, the

separate, hermetically sealed chambers may have their intercellular partitions broken down without in any way damaging the seal to the atmosphere. It is understood, of course, that this ampoule may be used in other fields than medicine and the storage conditions within each cell may be as desired.

In Figure 3, a modified form of partition is shown wherein the outer wall ID has a partition 2 provided with a channel 2l2. This channel 212 has a dead end formed of the spherical part 2I3 enclosing steel ball H. A side pull on steel ball I! will break part M3 away and open up channel 2 l2.

What is claimed, is:

l. A multi-cellular ampoule comprising an ampoule of non-magneticmaterial having a plurality of sealed cells therein with a frangible traction thereon may be utilized for destruction of at least part of said partition.

3. A multl-cellular ampoule comprising an ampoule of non-magnetic material formed with a plurality of frangible partitionsto form a plurality of separate cells into each of which a substance may be stored, each partition being of the same material as the ampoule, and a ferro-' magnetic member sealed in at least one of said intercellular partitions, said member having sufficient mass whereby a magnetic attraction on the outside of said ampoule may be relied upon for destruction of at least part of said partition. 4. A multi-cellular ampoule comprising an ampoule of non-magnetic material, said ampoule having plurality of cells separated by frangible partitions, said intercellular partitions being of non-magnetic material and a ierro-magnetic ball sealed in at least one intercellular partition, said ball being sufliciently large so that magnetic force extending through the walls of said ampoule to said ball may be utilized for breaking down at least part of said partition.

5. A multi-cellular ampoule consisting of a shell of non-magnetic material, said shell having a plurality of cells separated by at least one frangible intervening intercellular partition, said intercellular partition being of non-magnetic material and having a ferro-magnetic member sealed therein, said one partition being substantially weaker than the shell wall of said ampoule whereby a magentic force from the outside of said ampoule may be utilized for attracting said ferro-magnetic member and breaking said partition.

6. A multi-cellular ampoule comprising an outer shell of glass having a plurality of cells divided by at least one glass partition, and a term-magnetic ball sealed in said one partition and being sumciently massive so that a magnetic pull from the outside of said ampoule may be utilized for attracting said ball and break said partition.

7. A multi-cellular glass ampoule consisting of an outer shell having a plurality of cells separated by intervening intercellular partitions, at least one of said intercellular partitions having a ferro-magnetic member sealed therein, said one partition being substantially weaker than the shell wall of said ampoule and said member having suflicient mass whereby a magnetic force from the outside of said ampoule may be utilized for attracting said ferro-magnetic member and breaking said partition.

8. A multi-cellular ampoule comprising an outer shell of glass having a plurality of cells divided by at least one glass partition, and a steel ball sealed in said one partition and being sufficiently massive and the partition being substantially weaker than the shell wall so that a magnetic pull from the outside of said ampoule may be utilized for attracting said ball and break said partition.

9. In combination, the ampoule of claim 1 and a magnet having a pair of poles, said magnet being sufficiently strong to pull said member toward at least one of said poles and break the member bearing partition.

10. In combination, the ampoule of claim 7, a magnet having a pair of poles, said magnet exerting a substantial attractive force on said member and means for cyclically varying said attractive force to induce a shattering of said partition.

11. The'method of breaking a partition in the ampoule of claim 1 which consists in applying a magnet having a pair'of poles to said ampoule and exerting sufiicient attractive force on said member to break s'aid partition.

12. The method of breaking a partition in th ampoule of claim 7 which consists in applying a magnet having a pair of poles to said ampoule and exerting a rapidly cyclically varying attractive force on said member to shatter said partition.

13. A multi-cellular, ampoule comprising an outer shell of glass having at least two cells therein with a glass dividing wall therebetween and a ferro-magnetic member sealed to said glass on the inside of the outer wall, said member having suflicient mass'whereby a magnetic pull thereon may be utilized for breaking said member away from its fastening and utilizing said member for destroying at least part of said partition.

14. The method of breaking down the partition in the ampoule of claim 13 which consists in applying a magnetic attractive force on said member sumciently strong to break said member away from its fastening and thereafter breaking said partition with said member.

15- An ampoule comprising an ampoule of nonmagnetic material having a plurality of cells separated by at least one partition, said partition being frangible and non-magnetic and having a channel normally establishing communication between said cells and a ferro-magnetic member sealed to said partition and closing said channel, said member having suificient mass whereby a magnetic pull on said member will break it away fromsaid partition and open said channel.

- JACOB A. SAFFIR. 

